This article delves into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating the lively atmosphere at Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets. It features interviews with Sean Murphy, the ice crew member, Dan McCullough, part of the 'Cannon Crew,' and Jon Proper, another crew member.
It takes a village to keep the Columbus Blue Jackets ' spirits high and the ice just right at Nationwide Arena. Sean Murphy, who takes care of the ice, said, 'The first question asked is do you drive the Zamboni? And I drive the Zamboni every day of my life.' He added, 'You get to be by the NHL. I wasn’t gonna make it as a player so this is the best setup for me.' Some NHL teams have traditions of fans throwing things like octopuses onto the ice.
Murphy humorously remarked, 'Well, as somebody who would have to go pick up the octopus or catfish or whatever, I would say no.' He added, 'No chili, right? Please no chili.' Dan McCullough, with the Cannon Crew, explained the impact of the arena's cannon. 'There's a secret of why it's so loud no matter where you are in the stadium, not just right here,' he said, though he kept the secret to himself. McCullough added, 'So a lot of energy, you keep the crowd engaged, you keep hyped up and excited throughout the whole game.' When asked if he ever gets used to hearing the cannon, he admitted, 'I mean, it's a little loud.' The arena features a souped-up Zamboni known as the Gatorade Boomboni. 'First of all, we've got these LED party lights and hockey sticks that we use for the railings,' Murphy said. The Boomboni can take up to 10 fans on a spin around the rink during intermissions. Jon Proper, also part of the crew, shared a memorable moment, saying, 'I've had one opposing goalie yell at me before, but that's about it. What did he say? Just told me get out of his way.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS NATIONWIDE ARENA ZAMBONI CANNON CREW SPORTS ATMOSPHERE
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